Fuse for explosive projectiles.



E. SCHNEIDER.

FUSE FOR ExPLoslvE PROIECTILES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I5, I9I4.

Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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E. SCHNEIDER.

Fuss Foa ExPLoswE PRoJscmEs.

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE l5. |914. 1

'Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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EUGNE SCHNEIDER, OF LE CREUZOT, FRANCE.

FUSE FOR EXPLOSIVE PROJECTILES.

Application led June 15, 1914.

To all crlzom it may concern Be it known that I. EUGNE SCHNEIDER, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at Le (heuzot, France, have invented a new and'uset'ul Improvement in Fuses for Explosive projectiles, which is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention has for its object a fuse for explosive projectiles adapted to be adjusted to serve either as shrapnel or as shell and relates to a device which permits of regulating the operation as shell so that its explosion takes place with or without retardation or delayed action on impact or at the end of a given time during its flight.

In the known projectiles of the type to which the invention is applicable, the adjustment with aV view to any one of the three methods off operation as shell, and also with a view to the operation as shrapnel is generally obtained by means of an additional distributing member arranged perpendicu larly to the longitudinal axis of the projectile. The employment of such an additional member presents serious inconveniences; on the one hand it affects the symmetry of the distribution of the usual fuse members, the result being to impair the uniformity of flight of the projectile and on the other hand it is extremely dilicult to establish a good joint between the distributing member and the body of the fuse and maintain that joint.

According to this invention, the adjustments for the various methods of operation of the projectile instead of being obtained by means of an additional distributing member, are obtained by the relative helicoidal displacement between an incasing portion of the fuse provided with a retarding detonator, and an incased portion carrying all the' ignition devices. By this simple relative. displacement of these two portions commu` nications between them are established or interrupted, and the retarding device carried by the detonator is rendered operative or inoperative. The symmetry of the construction is not in. any way alected and is substantially maintained whatever position of adjustment of the fuse is employed for exploding the projectile in the required manner. Finally as the joint is distributed over longitudinal screw threads completely enveloped by the incasing portion or body of the fuse. a good joint, is readily obtained and preserved.

In order that the said invention may be Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

Serial No. 845,137.

clearly understood and readilycarried into eii'ect I will describe the same more fully with reference to the accompanying drawing in which two embodiments of the invention are illustrated by lway of example.

Figures 1 to -l inclusive show one of these embodiments; Fig. lbeing a longitudinal section of the fuse for quadruple action adjusted for percussive operation with retardation; Fig. 2 al corresponding partial longitudinal section of the fuse adjusted for enabling the projectile to operate as shrapnel; Fig. 3 a longitudinal section of the fuse adjusted for percussivev action (as shell) without retardation; and Fig. 4 a corresponding partial section of thefuse adjusted for time action (as shell) z'. e. for exploding during its Hight after the expiration of a predetermined time. Fig. 5 illustrates a second embodiment of the invention in sectional elevation.

Like letters ofreference indicate similar parts in all the figures.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 toV l, the body of the fuse comprises two main portions one the incasing portion a and the other the incased portion havingas their common axis the longitudinal axis ofthe projectile and provided respectively with corresponding internal and external threads and adapted to be displaced helicoidally with respect to each other by means of a suitable key. The incasing portion a is threaded at a for attachment to the ogival point of the projectile and it is provided at its `'lower part with the retarding detonator 2e-d of known construction. The incased portion b carries all the ignition devices Q "ei f" Around the incasing portion a, the stationary and movable fuse rings g and 7L are arranged in the usual manner. The incasing member a is provided with a port a2 with which a vent z. in the movable fuse ring is adapted to be brought into register (Fig. 2). In the incased portion b ports b 212 are provided at diierent levels and are intended*` according to the position of adjustment selected, to be brouglit valternately into register with the port a2. Another port b3 provided in the portion b can be caused to communicate with the passage (1.3 in the portion a which is in constant communication with the stationary fuse ring g onthe one hand and on the other hand with the passage a,4 opening into thering a5 which f mit the latter to the fuse is thus adjusted for causing thev serves to transmit the flame to the rear charge of the projectile. The port b3 is in constant communication with the aXial passage f2, tonator c through the small passages f3. Two flat portions y*b* on the portion Z) perbe turned through an angle of 180 relatively to the portion a by means of a key. When the portions a and b occupy the position illustrated in Fig. 1, the vent h" does not register with the port (z2-and therefore the flame resulting from the ignition device eje on liringcannot be transmitted to the ring 71.. The ball obturator c cuts off direct communication between the passages 2 3 and the passages c2 for the. transmission of the flame of the igniter f f to the detonator c, this flame being thus obliged to pass through the retarding device d. In the position represented in this ligure projectile to act as a shell, bursting taking place with'retardation when impactoccurs. If, while leaving the two portions a, and b in the same position, the movable fuse ring h is displaced into the position indicated in Fig. 2, communication will be established (through the port a2) between the ignition. device e e and the vent h. The flame from e e is communicated, as soon as the projectile is fired, to the ring h and bylthis ring to the ring g and eventually through FL-a5 to the rear charge of the projectile. In this instance the projectile after the lapse of a certain interval of time acts as shrapnel. If the incased portion b be displaced in the portion d by means of a key through an angle of 180 relatively to the initial position shown in Fig. 1, the portions a and b are caused to occupy the position shown in Fig. 3. The separation of the portion b fromthe retarding detonator c d resulting from this adjustment, liberates the obturator o which durin the spin of the projectile in its flight will e held by centrifugal force against the periphery of its housing, thereby uncovering the inlet to the passage c2 for directly transmitting the flame produced by the ignition device f f; the fuse is thus adjusted for percussive operation without p retardation.

In the displacement of the portion b from the position indicated in Fig. 1 to that indicated in Fig. 3, the port b3 has been placed in communication with the passage a3, it therefore follows that if, proceeding the position indicated in Fig. 3, the movable fuse ring h is rotated in such a manner as to bring the vent h into register with the port a2, the llame from ev e will be propagated by h and g and at the end of the desired pewhich conducts the Haine to the defrom riod of time will pass throughl the passage a3 and the port b3 into the passage f2 whence it will proceed to the detonator. The fuse is therefore then adjusted for the'projectile to act as shell exploding Vduring its flight at the termination of a predetermined period of time, (Fig. 4).

It is obvious that the incasing portion a v might carry a lserpentine fuse device as vouter casing being provided with means for controlling the lirst-namedigniting means and other means for delaying action ofthe second-named igniting means on the bursting charge, said delay means being controlled by longitudinal displacement of said casings.

2. In a fuse of the character described, the combination of concentric casings having threaded' engagement with each other for longitudinal displacement into either of two positions, igniting devices carried by the inner casing, a fuse ring or member adjustable on the outer casing adapted to move into or out of operative relation with one of said fuse devices in either position of said, casings, a detonator carried by the outer casing, and retarding means between said otherigniting device and said detonator operated by displacement of the casings to enable bursting by impact with 4or without retardation.

3. In a fuse of the character described,the combination of concentric casings having threaded engagement with each other for longitudinal displacement into either of two positions, igniting devices carried by the inner casing, a fuse ring or member adjustable on the outer casing adapted to move into or out of operative relation with one of said igniting devices in either position of said casings, and a stationary fuse .ring in communication with the first-named ring opened or closed to the other igniting device by adjustment of said rings.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specificationv in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

i EUGENE SCHNEIDER.

` Witnesses:

CHAS. P. PREssLY,

C. GUENTAR. 

